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100

GameBoomers

I love games which make me laugh, and this one does that in spades. Humor abounds both in the settings and in the dialogue. The absurdity of the characters and the story line invoked many chuckles. Sometimes, I laughed out loud. The puzzles are diverting; some are novel. The interface is simple. Voices and ambient sounds are pleasant and appropriate. Background music reflects and enhances the flavor of the game. The graphics deliver plenty of unusual and farcical details.

So, given all of this, what's our final verdict? Well, Sam and Max: Culture Shock is a stunningly fun game, one that will yank you into its world and make you forget all about Supreme Commander and S.T.A.L.K.E.R.. It's hilarious, compelling, and not so obtuse as to put off average gamers not au fait with the adventure genre. Buy it, buy it now.

There are several more installments to go, and then Telltale says there will be a "boxed" version available for the shelf. 'Til then, you can download each episode from their website as it's released or take advantage of their partnership with GameTap and get the episodes through a general subscription that also opens the entire GameTap library to your grubby little fingers. (You know, I'm starting to think Bosco is onto something with this conspiracy thing. ...) One way or the other, if you have a glimmer of an iota of a flicker of adventure love left in that congealed lump of moldering paté you call a heart, you owe it to yourself to check this one out. This game only slightly suffers from being too short and otherwise easily bunny hops into gold star adventure game territory.

Sometimes you get to talk about something really unique, like episodic gaming. In the past games were released every one or two or even three years. Sometimes the hiatus between releases were even longer. In this respect games were more like movies.

So here we are at the end of my review. It is hard to believe that I've actually reviewed a second Sam & Max game. With so many disappointments over such a long timeline, the amount of expectation for this title was off the scale. Surprisingly, the end result is a game worthy of the name Sam & Max. Even better is the fact that we'll be getting more every month for the next six months! I'll say it again, Sam & Max: Culture Shock is a must-buy. Clear enough?

The return of Sam & Max is welcome indeed and Episode One: Culture Shock is only the first chapter. Telltale Games has tapped into what makes the genre click and has pointed the way for others to follow - I can't wait to see the rest of Season One and hope that these talented folks can continue to produce some of the most fun to play adventure games on the market. With one new episode scheduled per month, I know where I'll be headed when other games have let me down, that's for darn sure…

It's an easy game; those who fondly remember the challenge of an era gone might find this a sticking point of sorts. The perfectly recaptured atmosphere of Hit the Roads universe will more than make up for this.

Sam & Max: Episode One: Culture Shock is a wonderful piece of entertainment, and easily the best adventure game since the days of Grim Fandango. It's not only the most 'fun' game we've played all year, but also the funniest and deserves to succeed so that other developers are inspired to take the same calculated risk as Telltale and follow their own vision. It's also, without doubt, the best advert we've seen for the merits of episodic gaming (and at just $8.95 per episode, superb value), and frankly, the gaming scene is going to be brightened up no end over the next six months by a regular dose of Sam & Max if this is anything to go by. Go and party like it's 1993.

Sam and Max Episode One: Culture Shock is not just a fun adventure game on its own but also an impressive example of how the growing episodic game trend could evolve. Although it has less than four hours of gameplay, we (hopefully) won’t have to wait long for later episodes to be released (Episode 2 is due for release in December with other episodes due on a monthly basis afterward). If Telltale can keep up the quality of this first episode with subsequent chapters and keep its schedule we think that Sam and Max will become a big success.

Telltale's task was an unenviable one. They've been faced with the challenge of not only living up to the nostalgic memories of a revered classic, but the lofty expectations of its cancelled successor. To that effect, they've really done a remarkable job of capturing the things that make these characters so much fun. The writing, style, and design are all pretty much dead-on and, and, while it might not be able to equal the greatness of its predecessor, it's at least worthy to bear the name.

For anybody that was an aficionado of the point & click genre, Sam & Max: Culture Shock is the perfect choice to revisit those fun days of PC gaming past. Enough modernization to upgrade the old-school point & click adventure experience evenly mixed with the same amazing storytelling, humor and problem-solving challenges that the genre was known for make this a triumphant return for both point & click adventures and the zany duo of Sam & Max.

Adventure gaming might not be back yet, but this long-awaited sequel does a lot to renew my faith in the genre. The point and click format certainly isn't going to supplant real-time strategy or first-person shooting as the PC's bread and butter but the gameplay here is almost incidental to the experience. The real joy of playing Sam and Max is in watching the hilarious interactions unfold and in spotting the throwaway jokes hidden in magazine racks and picture frames.

As a graphical adventure game, SME1 follows a tried-and-true formula. You will find no innovation when this game hits your hard drive, just 4-6 hours of entertainment. If you are devoid of a sense of humor, or would rather spend your ten dollars to see a movie that will last 90 minutes (actually, in LA, $10 won’t even get you one movie ticket), then perhaps this title will fall flat for you.

The adventure is pretty short (it took me about three hours to finish it), and it's not exactly complicated (you probably won't need a walkthrough to figure out its puzzles), but it's a lot of fun to play. Sam & Max get into one kooky situation after another, the dialogue is odd and amusing, and there is a lot of detail to the world (like the "terror rating" sign above the bathroom of the local inconvenience store) that adds all sorts of offbeat humor if you happen to notice it. There's even a funny driving sequence where you're allowed to drive on the sidewalk (watch those parking meters fly!) and hand out bogus speeding tickets.

It’s perfectly easy to buy one episode and write off the rest, though this is fraught with, “should I get the next?” And if you like adventures, you really should. Based on the quality of the three we’ve played, Telltale is hitting the right notes. If they can find enough substance for the continuing chapters we’ll continue to advocate their creations. Valve and Ritual, follow Telltale’s lead.

The bottom line is that I was playing the game, enjoying the plot and the puzzles and occasionally thinking, “Wow, that was a funny line. So why aren't I laughing?” There is a Voice Director listed in the credits. Perhaps he can pull more out of the actor for the next episode.

All and all, the game will run between four and six hours, depending on how long you decide to look and click on everything. A lot of the dialogue and comments are nifty, and intriguing to listen to. The puzzle solving is relatively easy, and the humor is the major draw to the game. Advertising finally paid off, as I signed up for a GameTap subscription ($9.95 monthly fee) to try this game out. This episode, along with future episodes, will debut on GameTap first, and then on Telltale's site two weeks later. The second episode in the latest Sam & Max saga is scheduled for release on December 21.

If you have been waiting since 1993 for a Sam & Max follow-up, you are going to love this game most likely. The slapstick humor, wit and charm of a game like Culture Shock will please any Sam & Max fan. For people not familiar with point-and-click adventure games, you may find this type of game quite boring. The dialogue, while quite humorous, can become tiresome as well. You also just do not have a whole lot to do outside of talking to a few people, finding items, and figuring out what to do with items. There is a point-and-click driving level, where you control the car left and right with the click of a mouse and can shoot, but it's just a repeating street. For a game that is only $10 though, you can't go wrong with giving this a try.

In the end, Sam & Max Episode 1: Culture Shock is a more than welcome return for the Freelance Police. Episode 1 can be purchased and downloaded for $8.95 (the game is free with a Gametap subscription), which is a steal when you consider Culture Shock clocks in at about 4-6 hours of entertainment. (Players can also preorder a discounted version of all six episodes in a "Season One" package for $34.95.) More importantly, Culture Shock marks a great (if not perfect) start to what will hopefully be a long run for the pair.

Point-and-click adventurers are a very particular breed (we know because we’re fully paid-up members of the fan club), so the question of whether to buy this or the other big-franchise release Broken Sword 4 is easy to tackle. BS4 is a full-priced title which is fun and involving in its own way and has bags of appeal to followers of the series. Culture Shock, on the other hand, is a successful return of a classic series which is limited by its episodic (although, we must stress, self-contained for this initial episode) format. Simply speaking, for $9 (which is under a fiver in proper money), even if you’ve already bought BS4, there’s no reason at all not to get hold of this. As far as we’re concerned, we’d rather have had an updating of Monkey Island or Day Of The Tentacle. Until – or even if – that day arrives, Culture Shock will more than suffice as a reintroduction to a world of gaming that has long since past.

Sam and Max Episode 1: Culture Shock is a great game. We would have liked to have seen some more difficult hurdles to overcome and maybe even an extra hours gameplay would have kept us more happy until Episode 2 comes out. If you love point and click this episodic series looks like it could be good. But if you hate the premise of episodic gaming you may want to give this game a miss.

Does it live up to standards? It’s hard to say really, and to be honest the evidence which Culture Shock provides is inconclusive. What you can say, though, is that Telltale have sewn some interesting seeds. It’s early days for the series, and to be honest it’s a joy to have such wonderful characters back on our screens. May the future treat them kindly.

It's hard not to like Culture Shock and that is probably the biggest compliment we can give to the developers along with that they have continued one of the best franchises around in the most incredible way possible. Episode one may be short and sweet but after waiting over a decade to get it, it doesn't matter. If this is a reflection of the rest of the season then Telltale should be given some of the most deserved applause around because finally someone has had the guts to bring the two partners back for more.

Unfortunately, the game has some flaws. For example, the sound quality can be tinny, and some animation sequences seem to skip if the player clicks at the wrong time. None of these things impact the overall enjoyment of the game, but they exist. Some people might take issue with how short the game is, yet when one takes into consideration that new episodes are scheduled to release in rapid succession, then it seems to balance out. Players won't have to wait years to see Sam & Max's next adventure. In the meantime, fans can read the web comic or watch the streaming animated series on GameTap, which works out to be the perfect venue for this kind of episodic entertainment. If this model is part of how downloadable episodic content will work, then it's a welcome one.

So, yeah. Longtime fans may need a bit of time to adjust to the simpler episodic approach, a change of pace from the massive inventories, convoluted puzzles, and globetrotting of many adventure games. Sam and Max Hit the Road is one of my all-time favorite PC games, and Culture Shock and Situation: Comedy are worthy follow-ups. Highly Recommended.

Overall, Sam & Max Episode 1: Culture Shock is a great revival but short-lived reunion with perhaps the funniest game heroes ever in an adventure game. There is always a hilarious and twisted outburst from either Sam or Max waiting for you. Do not expect a great challenge, though.

But enough about the bad, because Sam & Max Episode 1: Culture Shock is a great way to reintroduce two of the best video game characters of all time. This is one adventure that offers a compelling story, great voice acting, great music and a whole lot of humor. We don't see a lot of games like this anymore, and that's yet another reason to seek out Sam & Max. Whether you're the type of gamer who misses the days of the LucasArts point and click adventure games or you're new to the genre, Culture Shock is a great game that is not too expensive. At $8.95 this is one case worth digging into. Of course, once it's over you'll want more ... but is that a bad thing?

I had a blast playing through Sam & Max' first foray into episodic gaming. Lovingly crafted, with dialogue that keeps you exploring and clicking away, there's a host of nice touches that really lift this above it's peers in many areas. Sometimes the looped music can get repetitive, and I'd like to see Secret Files: Tunguska's 'search scene' button implemented as standard in all point and click games (the frustration of missing a puzzle item against the background need no longer be an issue), but overall it's hard to find any real fault with Culture Shock other than it's length. But for $8, who's complaining? Here's hoping Episode 2 is even better.

It's hard not to like Culture Shock and that is probably the biggest compliment we can give to the developers along with that they have continued one of the best franchises around in the most incredible way possible. Episode one may be short and sweet but after waiting over a decade to get it, it doesn't matter. If this is a reflection of the rest of the season then Telltale should be given some of the most deserved applause around because finally someone has had the guts to bring the two partners back for more.

All in all Sam and Max are sure to entertain with their own brand of mirth and mayhem. It's a great little play for adults and kids. Kids will love the driving. The game is fairly short, around 3, maybe 4, hours of play, but they're a fun-filled few hours.

It's quite a remarkable series of events that has brought us to the unveiling of Sam & Max: Season 1. The 1993 classic Sam & Max Hit the Road introduced the canine shamus and hyperkinetic rabbity thing to the adventure gaming community and brought Steve Purcell's comic genius before a much larger audience. The franchise lay semi-dormant for a few years, with a Fox Kids cartoon show launched in 1997 but not destined for a long life.

But that totally is the biggest complaint I have with this game, beyond, that is, the fact that it’s only about five hours long. However, you’re paying only $9 for that five hours of gameplay, and when you consider that this is only the first episode of a much longer series, it works itself out in your mind. Culture Shock is, without a doubt, a must-have for point-and-clicker aficionados, and a probably definitely should-have for everyone else. I’m real keen on seeing where Telltale goes with this.

Telltale Games has picked up the Sam & Max torch, and the company plans to release individual episodes of a new Sam & Max adventure game over the next several months. The first of these episodes, Culture Shock, is now available, and if you've been looking for a good, funny game, you should definitely check this out.

This is pretty much what you can expect for $8.95. (A little under $6 if you buy the "Season Pass", which I'll take credit for naming when I met with Telltale at E3.) However, it really isn't what I expected from Sam & Max. Whether that's because I held Sam & Max in such high esteem, or whether that's because this was a little off because it was a first effort, I can't tell right now. It does seem, though, that the gamer who patiently waits for all the episodes to come out, and then plays them in one long block is going to have a much more satisfying time, in my opinion.

To summarise, Culture Shock is the near-perfect return Sam and Max fans everywhere have been demanding for such a long time. With five more episodes to come from this Sam and Max season, it is an undeniable pleasure to see the hole in the point and click adventure world being filled back up and smoothed over.

Ultimately, if you like adventure games, you’ll like Culture Shock. The storyline does feature some truly funny moments that I won’t spoil for you (this is a short game and I want you to enjoy as much of it as you can before you have to pay for the next episode), but being that I’m not a huge fan of puzzles, I didn’t really get a lot out of this game. I can certainly say though that, from my brief experience with the adventure genre and reading peer reviews of this and other titles, that Culture Shock does offer what adventure games want – a hilarious storyline, easy-to-use interface, and a variety of challenging puzzles to keep you interested. If you’re an adventure gamer, you owe it to yourself to pick this up. Honestly, what else are you playing?

One thing we would’ve liked is the inclusion of more minigames to further extend the life of the game. We completed the story in about five hours, including exhausting all possible conversation paths we could find. But for less than a Hamilton, you’re still getting a lot of great game. This first episode is a success not only for the adventure-game genre, but for episodic gaming as well. The crafty writing and well-polished game design prove to be winning ingredients in a long-awaited dish.

In some circles, the clamoring for a second Sam & Max game began about a day after the first Sam & Max game hit store shelves. Thirteen years and a few abortive stabs later, the classic LucasArts adventure game finally gets its sequel. Several sequels, actually. Sam & Max -- Episode 1: Culture Shock is just the first in a projected series of short adventure game "episodes" available for download at GameTap.com and developer Telltale Games' own site.